(GV) Governing Vessel Meridian - Point Functions Chart

The GV Meridian

Below you will find clinical usage information for all points along the (GV) Governing Vessel Meridian . You may click on a specific acupuncture point for more detailed information including the location, clinical usages, and related patterns and conditions.

Important point for genitourinary disorders, for the five types of painful urinary disorder (Five Lin), urinary retention, sexual exhaustion, impotence, seminal emission.

Main point for disorders of the coccyx. Injuries to the coccyx will generally cause the tip of the coccyx to point more ventrally, to deviate to one side, or both, affecting the energetics of the spine and the whole body.

Warming point for cold or cold damp in the lower warmer, often treated with moxa for low back pain from deficiency, women's discharges (leukorrhea) due to cold, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, impotence, seminal emission, infertility, incontienence, colities, edema, pain or weakness of the lower limb or knee.

Name is "lumbar gate" or "lumbar hinge," at this point the low back bends in flexion, treat for pain when bending forward.

Differentiation: GV 3 is a more local point whereas GV 4 is for back pain resulting from yang deficiency

Clears heat from the whole body, for heat disorders of the five zang, malarial disorders, steaming bone disease (can be associated with Tubercolosis among other conditions, a feeling of heat very deep in the body - Kidney Yin Deficiency from a TCM perspective).

Important point for spirit problems, palpitations, anxiety, poor memory, muddled thinking, absent-mindedness, insomnia, has strong effect on mind and mood, combine with Huatuo of T5 and UB 15 for stress.

Supporting point for chronic conditions affecting the lungs, for deficiency asthma, exhaustion from deficient Lung qi.

Used for strengthening deficiencies and promoting strong development in children, epilepsy.

Classically noted for "seeing ghosts" and "rage with desire to kill" (deadman text) - which can indicate a range of stronger modern psychological issues such as schizophrenia, manic depression, bipolar depression. It does this by clearning excess heat from heart and lungs (i.e. chest), which can lead to an unsettled spirit.

Meeting point of all yang meridians, GV 14 is indicated for exterior conditions as it expels pathogens and firms the yang; clearing heat and fevers whether mild or severe; and for tonifying the yang and strengthening the neck and spine.

Main point for acute wind cold or wind heat, colds and flu, especially with fever and chills, opens the pores to cause sweating. If a patient with underlying deficiency presents with chills and no fever use moxa.

Main point for reducing high fevers, combine with LU 11, UB 40 (can bleed these points). Main point for summer heat.

Cough, asthma.

Main point for spontaneous sweating from qi deficiency or night sweats from yin deficiency.

Main point for neck and upper back pain and stiffness, combine with GB 20, UB 10, UB 11, UB 12, Bailao, SI 12, SI 13, etc. As the tissue is often thick here, insert slowly and use mild manipulation, then redirect needle towards each shoulder using oblique insertion.

Strengthens the wei qi, wind cold can enter the body through the triangle formed by GV 14 and UB 12. Keep this area warm, supple and flexible with needle, moxa, massage to promote longevity.

Opens the orifices refers to the mouth, throat and tongue, for throat swelling, hoarseness, post-stroke speech disorders, important point for muteness due to tongue stiffness or vocal cord disorders.

Epilepsy, stroke, manic depression, loss of consciousness.

Occipital headaches, especially with neck stiffness, upper cervical pain and restricted neck rotation, heaviness of head - GV 15 lies over the space between C1 and C2, and can help release the suboccipital musculature which compresses the atlanto-occipital joint.

Main point for wind, whether exterior or interior, particularly affecting the head and neck. For wind cold headache, stiff neck, aversion to wind; as well as dizziness, visual dizziness, numbness, twitching, tremors.

Window of the Sky point, promotes communication between the head and body, many indications are consistient with other points of this group, such as headache, dizziness, throat swelling, earache, eye pain, nosebleeds, aphasia.

One of two Command Points (with PC 6) added to the original four, for fainting, collapse. Main point for restoring consciousness, for shock, revivial from fainting, weakness, helps patient to awaken, use fingernail in an emergency.

Main point for acute low back sprain, helps relieve pain and restore motion, moves stagnation at the opposite end of the channel. After obtaining the Qi, have pateint bend then rotate the waist.